[ORI on a Repeater Summary]

A little more correctly stated, the repeater uses a PL tone (CTCSS) of 141.3 (also known as “travel tone”).

Thanks, words have meaning.  I am learning and it all is new to me.  I happened across this thread as I too had no idea what "ORI" on the repeater listings meant.  I also leaned about the "Call/Emergency Channel".

[ORI on a Repeater Summary]

Open repeater initiative. this allows travelers to use the travel tone w/o permission.

And the Travel Tone is 141.3 as I understand it.

[Missing DCS codes for Midland MXT400?]

I purchased a Midland 400 and a local repeater uses 073/265 tones but midland doesn't have the 265 tone installed as a choice.  When i refer to the DCS chart I realized there are a bunch of tones missing.  Can that be remedied?

 

Thank you.

 

Frank  

So Frank, have you connected to a repeater yet?  I tried last weekend but failed on two accounts, it's a long story...

[List of acronyms?]

DPL is Motorola's name for DCS. Check out the Wikipedia page for CTCSS.

WRAA720

Has a post on the subject and thanks for the quick reply.  Mine is a Midland MXT400 so if I see that on the repeater listing, I'll just move along....!

Drove a hundred miles out to a couple repeaters yesterday but failed to connect.  One the frequency of the station had changed and I hadn't studied well enough to tag the other.  Still learning...  Little things like the "blinking dot" right after the (Channel #) "CH" .  The dot is there to let you know you are in monitoring mode say, while it stops on an active channel temporarily.

[List of acronyms?]

Can anyone explain what "DPL" stands for when looking at codes for  (activation codes maybe) repeaters?  I understand the DCS & CTCSS but were do DPL's come from and how you set them for a repeater in a mobile station?

I thought it might be DCS but not all these match what I am seeing.

[What I Wish I Knew When I First Started With GMRS]

I too am somewhat feeling the way of the author when it comes to educating folks interested in this field.  Jeep Jamboree USA will reqiure FRS radios next year instead of the CB's we have used forever.  I am a die-hard for obvious reasons like, Why change if it isn't broke?  But I too am trying to embrace this new technology so I'll be knowledgeable when the change takes place.

 

Getting my license and buying what I thought was the correct rig for me, I found I had only the manufactures literature to guide me.  And I fell for the POWER of 40 watts and a 6db gain antenna before getting here, on site.  I figured, well we'll be in the mountains and winding thru the hollows so more power is better.  

 

Maybe getting more like-minded (Jeepers) together and utilized the collective minds and experience to better serve our community.  Just Like learning here.  But there is an empty spot in world of education when it comes to FRS & GMRS.  Just got it set up in the Jeep today.  So far I have talked to one child on the radio that responded to a radio check.

[What I Wish I Knew When I First Started With GMRS]

Well, first, the old FCC GMRS regulation was Part95-A, that is now Part95-E. But radios approved for Part95-A are grandfathered for Part95-E. Since the radio is also Part-15 approved, it could be used, probably requiring internal re-programming, on other services.

 

Next, the repeater channels. That just means the radio will transmit on a frequency exactly 5mHz higher than the frequency it listens on. Since most repeaters, especially in GMRS, use some type of access control system, audio tone (not audible to you) or digital  code you would have to also program or set the right tone or code for the repeater you wanted to access.  And, no, there is no such thing as automatically connecting to a repeater. I guess there could be, but I have never actually seen a radio that does that. To make that work, the radio would have to try all 8 repeater input channels, and try all possible access tones/codes and be able to detect if a signal was heard coming back. (See below).

 

Which brings us to your last question... how do you (or a smart radio) know you have "connected" with the repeater. One way is to use another radio to listen. But, that is likely to fail, especially if you are using a cheap toy radio, since its receiver will be overloaded by your transmitter.  The other, more common, method is to listen for a short transmission of client carrier. This is called the hang-time and is set by the repeater owner. So, after the incoming transmission ends, the repeater will continue to transmit for a short period, maybe a second or so.  But, if the repeater has no hang timer, then to only way to tell you got in is to use a second radio.

As a newbie and looking for direction on "how to(s)" this is one subject amoungst many I am lost in and no repeaters nearby for me to interact with anyway.

As I understand it, it appears I need another radio besides my MXT400 to ensure I have landed on a repeater.  But I was reading and wondering, won't the radio screen show a busy signal on the screen once the repeater responds with that short transmission?

[Understanding SWR & How Antennas Work]

There are a couple of techniques.  I personally tune for the center frequency of the band I plan on using.  To be sure you are centered, you check the highest frequency you will use and the lowest frequency you will use.  If the SWR is the same on both, you are good. 

 

If the SWR on the high frequency is higher than on the low frequency, your antenna is too long.  If the SWR on the low frequency is higher than on the high frequency, your antenna is too short.

 

The biggest problems you will run into with GMRS antenna tuning is, unless you have an antenna analyzer, that method is tough to use since you can't tune to the center frequency.  Also, in centimeter radio, if you trim the antenna as little as 1 millimeter, you can drastically change the SWR.  So, its a slow process and easy to mess up an antenna.

I was lead to believe that I didn't have to worry about "Tuning" these new antennas and therefore purchased the 6db gain antenna for both off road and freeway driving.  The off roading is usually mountainous (east coast).  The doughnut explanation helped me see the effect and describe the different size antenna, thanks.

I didn't (don't) have a frequency in mind that I think I'll use often so I have always wanted to get the best out of all channels.  Being new to the GMRS stuff (ole CB'er) I was thinking my best buy (using) would both FRS & GMRS ensure greater useage of the radio.

 

So the question is, "Should I look at tuning the FRS side frequencies over the GMRS if I find I use the FRS side more?"    

[How popular is GMRS (in subjective terms)?]

lol yup - so many Jeep guys want the 3 foot Firestick antenna mounted way down low on the bumper or spare tire mount, then they wonder why they get next to no range on CB..

Works OK in the woods and running the roads with a couple friends.  I do understnad your comment tho.  Getting out into the woods and wet environments create oxidation on any exposed metal and rust just keeps a-creeping.

 

I constantly have to clean my antenna connections for better TX RX power.

[Why did you get into GMRS]

Jeep Jamboree USA (jeepjamboreeusa.com) will drop the CB communication systems for the FRS/GMSR starting next season.  Folks will need to acquire these units in order to talk with others on the trail and to communicate with the officials at certain times.

 

I am trying to get a good grip on the full use of these radios before next year.  Midland is the pushing manufacture of course.

Edited to clean up my poor english/typing skills

[Missing DCS codes for Midland MXT400?]

The DCS PRIVACY CODE CHART is located on page 26 of the Owners Manual that can be downloaded from Midland.